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Online now: 5 members: Papajoe56, TABLE SETTER 11, dalberghetti, hotrods39, kcross; 144 anonymousDiscussion: Setting your lineup
| Posted | Discussion |
| May 7, 2010 Harri Men's 70 65 posts | Setting your lineup Have managed senior softball for many years. Always felt that your batting order is critical to having success. Would appreciate your comments and opinions as to what you think are important factors in determining batting order. |
| May 8, 2010 Capt Kirk 541 posts | Harri, I ususally bat (12), if I had the ideal players: 1-4 (got to be the most productive hiiters) 5-8 (2nd tier) 9-12 (3rd tier) leadoff Batter- just get on-speed 2)Smart, best bat control-speed 3)-Gap power with some pop + speed 4)-Clutch- has to hit in pressure situations 5)-Power + RBI guy (Usually my EH) 6)-Speed to set the table 7)Speed to set the table 8)some pop (usually my eh) 9)rally starter 10)moves the runners over 11)some pop 12)mgr |
| May 8, 2010 Jawood Men's 50 943 posts | The bottom line is the best hitters have to hit at the top so they will get up the most times. You would like to hit everyone especially if they are paying their own way (which most have to) but you don't want to come up in the last inning with your 12th, 13th, 14th hitters up when if you were batting only 10 or 11, you would have your 1st 2nd and 3rd hitters up. For every extra hitter you have at the bottom of the order, you take away an AB from the guys at the top. This is the toughest aspect of being the guy who makes out the lineup ... who plays? You need a rotation system because who is going to come to tournaments, spend their money to sit? Then you have to decide who's hot? Lots of variables, it's not easy, players must be on board with what you are doing. |
| May 8, 2010 titanhd Men's 60 638 posts | Capt.Kirk-speed should have nothing to do with where in a lineup a player hits. Jawood- I'd prefer to spread hitters throughout the lineup.It may sound like a good idea to have all of your good hitters back to back or at the top of the lineup, but when you do that you also have your lesser hitters hitting back to back at the middle/bottom of the lineup.Your leadoff hitter only hits leadoff once a game.I have found that most games are won or loss in the fifth inning,That being said a team with a strong middle of the line up hitters score the most runs.It does no good to have the top of your lineup on base if the middle guys can't bring them home. from my coaching experience but also jmo. |
| May 8, 2010 Jawood Men's 50 943 posts | I don't know what level you are at, titanhd, but if you don't back up your power hitters with power, they will get walked and they don't like that! Agree with speed doesn't matter in regard to a batting order in softball. Your 5th inning philosophy is different thinking (not saying wrong), I always thought that most games were won in the open inning. |
| May 8, 2010 Capt Kirk 541 posts | Everyone has opinion, I know this lineup works for our team. Every manager has to know his players. We are basically a league team, that travels to some tournaments, we won 4/5 tournaments in 2009 and the TOC in 2010, probably a bunch of overachievers. The most important thing is to have players that enjoy the company of each other and winning add just some extra frosting on cake. We competed at the mens 60AA level and this year we were moved to AAA, we are ready to play some tournament softball. |
| May 8, 2010 Jawood Men's 50 943 posts | Exactly! Enjoying the company and having a great time whatever the division is! Team Chemistry goes a long way! |
| May 8, 2010 titanhd Men's 60 638 posts | Capt Kirk you are exactly correct everyone has their own opinon.I'm only expressing what has been successful for me. Jawood. I didn't say anything about power hitters.I said good hitters.Egos aside.Walks are a part of the game. With the advent of HR limits a good hitter behind a power hitter works better than two power hitters back to back. I do agree at our age it's all about having fun. Start watching your 5th innings. btw I play 50 major. But coached at Class A and Major level 1997-2000. again fellas, Just My Opinions. |
| May 9, 2010 Harri Men's 70 65 posts | Hey Guys...Great ideas and comments. They all have merit and help in making my deciaions. I especially agree that team chemistry and having fun are critical. As manager I also always hit last, mainly to reduce "gripes" and because it gives me time to get the game going before I bat. I have a great hitter (hard line drives and ave. 700), bats left but can't run. Have been using him in the #2 position, but thinking about moving him to 3 or 4 so that it will increase the chance of having someone on base when he is up. Appreciate all your thoughts...keep them coming. Harri |
| May 9, 2010 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | we had a manager ask us to rate ourselves and try to be honest about it ,LOL. 1 = good avg(650-700 avg),lead off type hitter,1 for 50 ab's for hr power. 2 = hi avg(700 and above)good pop to the gaps and a 1 for 10/12 hr per ab's. 3 = power guy, mid level ba (550-600) 1-4/5/6/7 ab's per hr. 4 = avg hitter(500-600) very little power,but has a great glove. fielding ability would also be worked into the lineup,the better fielder of the same type hitters were the ones played the field as starters,with the others giving the starter a break,unless the glove was that much better.now sometimes the weaker has to play as they are your best gloves out there,but we usually batted everyone so we all got to hit. manager than ran his lineup of 12 this way. 1 2 3 3 2 1 4 2 3 4 4 1 now this would ideally what could be done with everyone being spread out.we happened to have an overage of 1 and 4 hitters,but hey it was not watching hr derby's. |
